And Lead Us Not Into Temptation
by littlesheep
Summary: ...‘cause we will accomplish to find the way ourselves. When the attraction between two people becomes too strong to resist, getting together eventually is inevitable. A little StellaMac Christmas fluff. SMacked one shot - complete!


**The sheep is back! And extremely sorry and apologetic for the eternal abscence - mea culpa! I was really busy, but still thinking a lot about writing and constantly working on new inspirations, just never really got to work on something specific enough to finish it. But NOW the sabatical is over - I just need the creativity and the posting thrill *g***

**I had this one planned already last year for Christmas, but didn't get the last bit finished somehow, but now I finally have it. Or so I think - I hope you don't tell me otherwise ;-)**

**Forgot to add - the song featured in the story is "Christmas Eve" by Céline Dion. In case it sounds familiar, a little part of the song was already in a previous Christmas story.**

**Disclaimer**: All the original characters belong to their owners - except for Mac. **Mac belongs to Stella**.

**Please read and review!**

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_May Christmas atmosphere fill all days with warmth. May the shimmering stars remind us that sometimes all we need to do is to __**make a wish**__._

xxxxx

"Aaaaaaaah!"

Danny sprinted around the corner, bumped into Mac who dropped some case files, bounced backwards and landed on his back on the floor to Mac's feet.

Mac shook his head and looked down at him in surprise, not really knowing what to say or do.

At that moment, Lindsay appeared behind Danny. When she spotted him on the floor in front of Mac, he looked back upwards to her standing behind him. Lindsay looked from him to Mac and put her hand over her mouth. When she wanted to start an explanation, Mac waved her off.

"Something tells me I don't want to know…" he mumbled while he picked up the files from the floor and left the scene, still shaking his head.

On the way to his office, his gaze fell through the glass door into Stella's office. She was sitting at her desk, holding her head with both hands. She never seemed to be aware how incredibly sexy she was when she wasn't even making any effort.

The way she looked when she focused on a file or a piece of evidence or the way her temper sometimes took control when she tried to convince him of something, were just as intriguing as her beautiful smile, the sparkle in her eyes when she found a missing link and last but certainly not least the incredibly sexy outfits she wore most of the time.

Mac was well aware that every healthy man at the lab had trouble concentrating on what they were supposed to do when she was around, yet for himself he had always claimed immunity to her effect on the male part of the population.

He stopped and looked through the open door.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine. It's just this time of the month again, you know…" Stella returned with a deep sigh.

"Oh…" Mac returned slightly irritated.

She looked up at him.

"No, not that," she grinned, amused about his embarrassment.

"End of the month, I need to finish an estimated 1,000 reports that have to be turned in by tomorrow 10 a.m. because I will be on Christmas vacation starting tomorrow evening – which is nice because I could really use some days off, but not so nice because it makes the month and with that the time for paper work so short…"

"Oh…" Mac replied again, this time relieved. "Well, let me know if I can do anything to help…"

"Yeah, you could ask my boss to reschedule the deadline," she winked at him.

"Alright, you got me," he smiled.

"But honestly, you got a moment? I need to talk about some things with you before I finish these reports," Stella asked, thankful for the interruption.

"I need to take these files to my office and make a short phone call, why don't you come over in a few minutes?"

"Sure," Stella nodded in return.

XXXXX

"Hey Stella, are you and Mac going to the bowling center tonight?" Lindsay asked when Stella was on her way to Mac's office.

"Bowling?" Stella wondered.

"Yeah, you know – end of the month, team activity…?"

Apart from occasional meetings for a drink after work, it had become a nice routine that most of the main team members would meet at the end of the month and do something together. And since some of them would have the days between Christmas and New Year's off or be on call, but not necessarily at work, they had decided to schedule it a little earlier this month.

"Ah, right. Totally forgot because of all this paper work," Stella replied. "I'll have to see if I finish my reports by the end of the shift and I'll ask Mac if he will join us, I'm just on my way to his office."

"Okay, thanks," Lindsay said and turned back to the evidence room.

"Bowling… great," Stella mumbled to herself and sighed. "Totally forgot about that this morning. Why did I have to put on my tightest pair of jeans the day we are going to the bowling center…?"

XXXXX

When Stella entered Mac's office, he was talking to someone on the phone. He waved her in and signaled her to take a seat when he noticed her.

"Yeah, right. I know that, but… No, we haven't yet, but… I don't know when," he tried to get through to the person on the other end with growing impatience.

Stella noticed that this conversation apparently would take longer than just a moment. She looked over Mac's desk and when she found what she was looking for, she reached for a pen and wrote a note on a little post-it sticker. Then she put the pen down again and put the sticker on Mac's left hand.

_Call me, when you're done._

He looked at the sticker on his hand, then at her and nodded, mouthing _'Okay'_ before returning his attention to the phone.

An hour later, Stella looked through his door again. This time, Mac was working on the files he had had with him earlier when Danny had bumped into him in the corridor. She cleared her throat to make him aware of her presence, but didn't enter.

Mac looked up in surprise, then suddenly remembered something. He looked down to his left hand where the sticker with her note was still sitting and lifted it with a nod.

"Right…" he smirked. "I was supposed to call you."

Stella shook her head with a chuckle.

"I know this is a really lame saying, but if your head wasn't attached to your neck…"

XXXXX

"You have lanes 11 and 12 on the outer right side of the hall, you can place your orders for food and drinks to the waiter there," the guy behind the counter explained to them after they had all gotten their bowling shoes.

The entrance area was equipped with a few tables and chairs, to the right there was the counter where people checked in and received their borrowed shoes, behind it at the wall were shelves with decorative bowling balls, trophies and other bowling paraphernalia.

Sid, who lived near the bowling center had taken Stella and Mac with him in his car, the others arrived shortly after them. Together they walked over to the area where one lane was next to the other. This part of the complex was separated from the entrance area by a small step and behind the tables and benches there were low shelves with all kinds of bowling balls in different colors and weights.

"Since we have two lanes, we should make two teams and play against each other," Flack proposed when they reached their places.

Everyone agreed. Mac and Danny were chosen to be the team captains and after flipping a coin, Mac got to choose his first teammate. Danny was about to make a comment when Mac picked Stella as his first choice, but then grinned instead and waved to Flack to join him, obviously thinking that Mac's choice was giving his own team a better chance.

"That's because I want my team to win," he announced, earning a sharp look from Lindsay.

Mac chose Sid and Adam, who was both happy and nervous to be on the same team as Stella and his boss, while Danny wisely decided to take Lindsay as his second choice and Hawkes as third. Adam took care of the computer and entered all names into it while the others placed their orders with the waiter who had arrived in the meantime.

"He just wants to check her out," Danny whispered conspiratorially to Hawkes. "It's easier if you are on the same side, you just have a better view than having to look diagonally over to the other lane."

Stella got up because she was going to be the first player for her team. She shot a sharp look at Danny who gulped when he realized that she must have overheard his comment.

"Did it ever cross your limited mind that he might have picked me because I'm good at this?" she asked with a challenging undertone in her voice.

Then she turned around without waiting for his reply, picked up the bowling ball that she had selected from the shelves earlier and focused on her first attempt.

Danny looked at the guys on his team.

"Yeah, right. Girls and heavy bowling balls – as if that would work out, huh? Whining about arms and shoulders hurting, fingernails breaking off…"

This instantly got him a punch in the side from Lindsay.

Stella ignored the comment. Her gaze focused on the lane in front of her, crossed over to the pins on the other end and back to the line right in front of her. She took a breath and moved two steps back, then reached out with her right arm and moved forward towards the line again. Bending her knees slightly, she let the ball softly slide out of her hand. It bounced onto the lane, sliding at first, then starting to spin towards her while moving towards the pins. Stella smiled with satisfaction before it had even made half of the way.

Strike!

Pleased with the result, she picked the next ball and threw another strike. She briefly snorted, then she returned to her teammates without looking over to the others, rubbed her hands and high-fived with Mac who gave her an admiring nod.

"He has a good heart," he whispered in her ear, trying to ease the mood.

"Yeah. So does an artichoke," Stella returned dryly.

XXXXX

It was a close match, but even though Flack was leading as an individual towards the end, Stella was close to him, only a few points in front of Mac and their team was winning. The atmosphere was light and everyone enjoyed the evening and the time together.

Stella became more and more aware that Mac was indeed watching her intensely whenever it was her turn. Once again she cursed herself for wearing her tightest pair of jeans just now. On the other hand she was self-confident enough to know she looked really good in this outfit and she liked the attention Mac was giving her. Not that she would openly admit it though.

When she returned from the restrooms, an attractive blonde woman who had been standing near the bar for some time now, approached Stella and smiled at her.

"Hi," the woman greeted.

"Hi," Stella replied, surprised about a strange woman just talking to her for no apparent reason.

"Sorry if I ask you just like this, but… the people you are here with, are you some club or clique or so? You know, I was just wondering about the attractive guy in the black shirt… Would you tell me if he's married?" she still smiled with a slight shrug to excuse her direct questioning.

Stella's gaze narrowed, but only on the inside. On the outside, she flashed her most professional smile.

"He's not married," she returned. "But I'm afraid he's already taken," she said in all honesty she could fake.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude… Well, too bad. Just like always. The good guys are either taken – or gay," she winked and turned back to the bar.

When the team left the bowling area a little while after the encounter, Stella caught sight of the woman again who smiled and winked at her with a nod.

"Good luck," the woman said when they passed her.

"What's she talking about, who was that?" Mac asked when they continued to walk over to the counter to pay their fees for the evening.

"Uh, well… I think she assumes that we… You know," Stella struggled, not really knowing what to tell him.

"No, I don't know. Why don't you explain it to me?" he questioned further.

"She might think that you and I… that we are … sort of involved," Stella mumbled.

"Why would she?" Mac raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I … sort of told her," Stella admitted quietly.

"You what?"

"I didn't mean to. I just said …"

"Why, Stella?" Mac interrupted.

"I don't know…"

"Yes, you do. Tell me…" he looked at her, slowly getting closer.

Stella looked down, avoiding his gaze.

"The origin of the word '_chaos_' is Greek," Mac explained with a chuckle.

"Hey! I'm Greek…" Stella exclaimed, finally looking at him again. "At least half…"

"So? What's your point?" he asked with an innocent expression, fighting hard not to laugh.

Before she could reply, Sid interrupted their little private moment.

"Hey, it started to snow! We might get a white Christmas… Come on, I'll take you guys back in my car, no need for you to wait for a cab in this weather," he offered.

Stella and Mac briefly looked at each other, then nodded at Sid.

"Thanks, Sid. That's really nice," Mac said as he held the passenger door open for Stella. Then he let himself into the seat behind her in the back of the car.

* * *

_Snow falling gently on the ground  
'Tis is the night before  
And in my heart there is no doubt  
That this is gonna be  
The brightest holiday  
'Cause here you are with me  
Baby, baby, I can't wait  
_

_  
To spend this special time of year with someone who  
Makes me feel the special way that you do_

_

* * *

  
_

It was dark and quiet inside the car. Sid buckled up, started the engine and Christmas music from the radio filled the air. He turned on the heating and turned around.

"Where do we go first?"

Mac looked at Stella who looked slightly sleepy.

"Let's take Stella home first, her place is closer than mine. You can drop me off at the corner of Lexington, I'll take a cab from there," he told Sid who nodded in agreement and swung into traffic.

As the car slowly crept along the as usual overcrowded streets of the city, Stella suddenly felt fingers touching the right side of her neck, tentatively, teasingly, softly… She closed her eyes and only in the very last instant had the presence of mind to avoid a heavy sigh when she remembered that Sid was sitting next to her. She had to give him credit, if he noticed anything about what Mac was doing, he didn't show it.

When they arrived at the building where Stella had her apartment, Sid pulled to the curb and stopped the car. Mac got out and opened the passenger door. After Stella had climbed out, he bend forward and stuck his head in.

"You can go ahead, I'll take a cab from here. Thanks for taking us with you – and Merry Christmas to you and your wife, Sid," he said.

"Merry Christmas, Sid!" Stella called from the sidewalk behind him.

Sid looked around Mac to her and smiled.

"Yeah, thanks. Merry Christmas to you, too, both of you. Enjoy your time," he added.

Did he wink? Or was it just her imagination? Stella shook her head and blinked some snowflakes from her eyelashes.

Mac closed the car door and they waved Sid goodbye, then he turned to face her.

"Wanna go for a little walk?" he asked.

"Walk?" Stella asked incredulously, looking at the fat snowflakes dancing around them. "I'm freezing to death…"

"I'll give you my coat if you're cold," Mac countered her complaint.

"You're freezing to death," Stella returned.

"We'll have some warm eggnog to warm up your Christmas spirit, then I'll take you home. Promised," he smiled at her.

Mac put his left arm around Stella's waist and she willingly let him pull her to him, instantly feeling warmer than she had moments before. She still felt slightly jittery from his touches on her neck and besides, she liked being with him. Just some eggnog and a little walk on a snowy winter night – so what?

* * *

_Walkin' with you in a winter's snow  
Kissin' underneath the mistletoe  
People smiling everywhere we go  
It's Christmas Eve and they can see we're in love  
_

_  
Ooh, you make the season bright  
With the lights reflecting in your eyes  
All my dreams are comin' true tonight  
It's Christmas Eve and I can see we're in love_

_

* * *

  
_

When they returned to Stella's apartment after doing some spontaneous late night Christmas shopping including drinks and a walk in the snowy park, it was almost two hours later.

"Your apartment is spinning," Mac chuckled, his head slightly woozy from just a little too much eggnog.

"Yeah. It tends to do that sometimes. I told it not to do so when I have guests, but it won't listen," Stella returned with a headshake.

"Isn't a Christmas tree supposed to be green?" Mac wondered after studying her little artificial tree that was sitting on a table in the center of the living room.

"Yeah, why?"

He got up from the couch, lead her a few steps away and looked back at the tree while he had her standing in front of him, his hands on her shoulders.

"I don't see any green anymore…" he grinned at the sight of the sparkling, shining, glowing mass of Christmas decoration.

"What?" Stella pouted. "I love Christmas decoration and I always find new stuff that I like. But there's only so much space on the tree and … well, I just can't decide what to leave out, so I just put it all on."

"It's beautiful," Mac assured her. "I love it," he whispered and placed a light kiss at her right temple.

* * *

_We'll stay up late tonight  
Decorate the tree  
Just look into my eyes  
And I will tell you truthfully  
That I don't need no Santa Claus  
To hear my Christmas wish  
I got you in my arms_

_  
And what could be a better gift  
Than to spend my very favorite time of year  
With the one I really love so near, oh yeah  
_

* * *

_**Christmas Eve**_

Mac was back home after they had spent the night together. And then had an argument before the day had even really started.

Once he was alone at his place, he sank down onto a chair in the kitchen and buried his face in his hands. He was an idiot. What was he thinking telling her she didn't know him? She would know him better than anyone else in the world, probably she knew him better than he knew himself. She knew things about him that she probably didn't even know she knew.

Why she didn't run he couldn't say, but he knew why he was scared. Because it _had_ to have been only one night and there wasn't a future for them. There couldn't be. Of that he was more sure than about anything else. Of that – and of the fact that he couldn't live with that thought. The memory of the hurt and pain in her eyes when they had argued earlier that morning haunted him. Then she had yelled at him and had told him to get the hell out of her apartment.

Now she wouldn't pick up the phone or return any of his calls all day long.

Mac made a decision. It was Christmas Eve and he would be damned if he would spend it alone at miserable at his place or worse, at the lab, like all the years before – since Claire was gone. Not this time, not after what had happened the night before.

XXXXX

"Damnit, Stella. I was attracted to you pretty much the first time I heard your voice. I know it's crazy, because I was happily married and I loved Claire, but I couldn't help it. Nothing that happened in all those years since has made me feel any differently. If anything, my feelings only got stronger, even though I tried my best to ignore and deny them – to my self mostly. I never met a woman who turned me inside out the way you do. I feel as if I never knew myself. I want things I never knew I could want… again," he added quietly.

Mac paused. He had never talked that much without taking a single breath, especially not to a woman and the fact that she didn't show any kind of reaction wasn't helping.

"Look, I know you don't love me, but…"

That woke her.

"You … _love_ me?!?"

He nodded, his lips pressed together. It took a moment to sink in, then she pressed her hands together in front of her trembling lips before she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Does this mean you don't mind my being in love with you?"

"No," she said through tears, the lights of the Christmas tree reflecting in them like thousands of sparkling diamonds. "No, I don't mind at all."

"Boy, what a relief…" Mac mumbled into her hair, then he cupped her face with both hands and closed her mouth with his in a long, soft and sweet kiss.

* * *

_Ooh, you make the season bright  
With the lights reflecting in your eyes  
All my dreams are comin' true tonight  
It's Christmas Eve and I can see we're in love_

XXXXX

Early the next morning, a cell phone on one of the nightstands was ringing. When Mac had finally found it, the caller had already hung up again. Mac checked for missed calls, noticed it was Danny and decided to give him a short call back, in case there was an emergency at the lab. He knew Danny was supposed to be home, too, but he was on call, so probably he had been called in after all and needed help or advice.

"Nah, nothing happened, boss. Just wanted to… uh, wish you a Merry Christmas," he mumbled. "Sorry for calling so early, see ya next year. Have a good one!"

After ending the call Danny looked confused. It wasn't exactly Mac who he had wanted to call with a little Christmas wake-up call…

"That was just Mac. On Stella's phone - at six in the morning on his day off…"

"So what?" Lindsay mumbled sleepily from the other side of the bed.

"You just used my phone to make the call…"

_The End_

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**Alright folks, you remember how it works, right? Post some nice words after hitting the "Review" button - the more reviews, the more inspired I'll be to keep working on more stuff. Usually once I got started, I keep going - make me stay in the mood ;-) Thanks everyone! I really missed you :-)**

**xxxlittlesheepxxx**


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